A community gathers to say good-bye to Father Eric Freed

EUREKA - One by one, hundreds approached Rev. Eric Freed's open casket to say their final good-byes.

White candles and poinsettias lined the alter in each of the three vigils that took place at St. Bernard Catholic Church on Sunday.

Freed was a man that meant so many things to so many people. He touched the lives of his parishioners at St. Bernard, his students and colleagues at Humboldt State University and an entire community.

For Eureka resident Willa Grant, Freed was helping her become Catholic. As a Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) member, Freed taught Grant how to believe again.

"He renewed my faith in faith," Grant said. "He was very joyous in his faith. He never did the Mass like someone reading a shopping list."

Grant said Freed was never judgmental and helped make her everyday life better by letting go of anger - a lesson Freed preached about.

She also said Freed spoke a lot about breaking the divisions between people and religions.

"I felt that Father Eric not only welcomed my faith," Grant said. "But he welcomed my doubts. And that's big."

Many of the lives Freed touched were the students and his cohorts at HSU.

Sara Hart, taught with Freed for the last six years and spoke at the 4 p.m. vigil that included many of his students.

Hart said Freed was a great friend to her and her family and that he had impact on countless lives.

"He was one of those very rare people who has really learned to have the faith of a mustard seed," Hart said. "And the impact of that is going to be with us for a long time."

Bishop Robert Vasa of the Diocese of Santa Rosa, spoke at the 7:30 p.m. vigil.

Although Vasa did not assign Freed to St. Bernard's he got to know Freed when he visited Eureka.

Vasa recalled a time the two of them went to dinner and said that Freed's energy was obvious, immediately.

"He was so enamored with the Japanese culture and calligraphy. He couldn't help but turn over the place mat and say, 'Well this means this and this means this,'" Vasa said. "I can see how the Humboldt State students and the parishioners would just be affected in the best possible way by the contagious joy and enthusiasm for the Gospel."

Freed was indeed enamored with the Japanese culture.

Dance Farrell, who knew Freed for eight years, said he would write his homilies in Japanese.

Freed's stole, which was draped over his casket, also contained embroidered Japanese characters.

At the 7:30 p.m. vigil, the Knights of Columbus - who traveled from numerous areas including local chapters, Fort Brag and Sacramento - made Freed an honorary fourth degree member.

In Freed's absence, Vasa said that Rev. Loren Allen will be returning to St. Bernard's beginning next weekend's Masses.

Freed was Allen's assistant and they worked with each other for three years.

"I wanted someone to come back who knew the place and the people," Vasa said. "(Allen) can focus his energies on the people and work to help them move forward in a very difficult grief process. (The grief process) doesn't get completed today. It starts today."

Freed's burial will be held today at 11:30 a.m. at Sacred Heart Church in Eureka. A reception at St. Bernard Church will follow the burial services at St. Bernard's Cemetery. Lorrie Reyes can be reached evenings at 707-441-0579 or lreyes@times-standard.com. Follow her at twitter.com/lorrie_reyes.